Bidder monitoring tool for integrated auction and product ordering system

Abstract

A monitoring tool that permits a buyer to search for and participate in auctions conducted on a website of the buyer's vendor. The monitoring tool provides a navigation frame having entries therein that represent predetermined searches across both the enterprise auction system and the enterprise product ordering and fulfillment system. The monitoring tool also provides a product description frame that provides summary records of auctions that are relevant to a selected view. By selecting among the navigation entries, a bidder is able to navigate quickly and accurately to auction information that is most relevant to his operations.

1 . An integrated enterprise network comprising: 
 an auction management application and database therefore, the auction database storing records representing auctions of the enterprise,    a product ordering and fulfillment application and database therefore, the product ordering and fulfillment database storing records representing customer purchases,    an auction monitoring tool, comprising: a navigation frame presenting a plurality of monitoring views, each view corresponding to a search among one or more of the auction management database records and the product ordering and fulfillment database records, and    a search tool, responsive to operator selection of a monitoring view, to execute the corresponding search among the auction management database records and/or the product ordering and fulfillment database records and generate a results page representing search results obtained therefrom.    
     
     
         2 . The network of  claim 1 , wherein one of the monitoring view comprises active auctions in which a user has placed a bid, the corresponding search causing a search of a prior bid history of the user and the auction records.  
     
     
         3 . The network of  claim 2 , wherein the view of active auctions in which a user has placed a bid is the first of any auction views to be displayed.  
     
     
         4 . The network of  claim 1 , wherein one of the monitoring views comprises active auctions the user has viewed in a detailed view, the corresponding search causing a search of a prior view history of the user and the auction records.  
     
     
         5 . The network of  claim 1 , wherein one of the monitoring view comprises auctions that include products a user has purchased via the product ordering and fulfillment application, the corresponding search causing a search of the user's prior purchase history and the auction records.  
     
     
         6 . The network of  claim 1 , wherein one of the monitoring view comprises auctions in which a user has placed a bid but lost the auction, the corresponding search causing a search of a prior bid history and records of closed auctions.  
     
     
         7 . An auction monitoring method, comprising: 
 displaying a navigation frame representing a plurality of auction monitoring views available to a user, each auction monitoring view corresponding to a search among records of one of an auction application or a product ordering and fulfillment application,    displaying a product description frame representing auction record data responsive to a selected auction monitoring view,    when a monitoring view is selected, executing the corresponding search among records of the auction application and/or the product ordering and fulfillment application, and    populating the product description frame with summary views of auction records responsive to the search.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein one of the monitoring views comprises active auctions in which a user has placed a bid and the corresponding search causes a search of a prior bid history of the user and the auction records.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the view of active auctions in which a user has placed a bid is the first of any auction views to be displayed.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein one of the monitoring views comprises active auctions the user has viewed in a detailed view and the corresponding search causes a search of a prior view history of the user and the auction records.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein one of the monitoring views comprises auctions that include products a user has purchased via the product ordering and fulfillment application and the corresponding search causes a search of the user's prior purchase history and the auction records.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein one of the monitoring views comprises auctions in which a user has placed a bid but lost the auction and the corresponding search causes a search of a prior bid history and records of closed auctions.  
     
     
         13 . Computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon that define: 
 an auction management application to conduct auctions on an automated basis and develop auction records representing them,    a product ordering and fulfillment application to manage customer orders and develop product records representing them,    an auction monitoring tool, comprising: 
 a navigation frame presenting a plurality of monitoring views, each view corresponding to a search among one or more of the auction management database records and the product ordering and fulfillment database records, and  
 a detailed record view,  
   a search tool, responsive to operator selection of a monitoring view, to execute the corresponding search among the auction management database records and/or the product ordering and fulfillment database records and generate a results page representing search results obtained therefrom.    
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein one of the monitoring view comprises active auctions in which a user has placed a bid, the corresponding search causing a search of a prior bid history of the user and the auction records.  
     
     
         15 . The medium of  claim 14 , wherein the view of active auctions in which a user has placed a bid is the first of any auction views to be displayed.  
     
     
         16 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein one of the monitoring views comprises active auctions the user has viewed in a detailed view, the corresponding search causing a search of a prior view history of the user and the auction records.  
     
     
         17 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein one of the monitoring view comprises auctions that include products a user has purchased via the product ordering and fulfillment application, the corresponding search causing a search of the user's prior purchase history and the auction records.  
     
     
         18 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein one of the monitoring view comprises auctions in which a user has placed a bid but lost the auction, the corresponding search causing a search of a prior bid history and records of closed auctions.